Forbes magazine named Sambuchino a leading influence in the publishing industry.

Registration for the conference, which runs from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. in Thompson Hall, is $125.

This will be the Workshop’s first conference on publishing for the community and the region.

“I am really looking forward to the broad expertise about publishing Mr. Sambuchino will bring to interested writers in the Central Arkansas region,” said Dr. Stephanie Vanderslice, professor of writing and director of the Arkansas Writers MFA Workshop. “This is the first of many publishing conferences we plan to host, bringing experienced publishing professionals to students and community members in the central Arkansas region.”

Conference registration will include continental breakfast/meet and greet; the morning session, “Getting Published”; luncheon/networking opportunity and afternoon session, “Agents and Book Options.”

Vanderslice said Sambuchino was the first name to come up during the early planning process, as suggested by Dr. Francie Bolter, who is retiring from the Department of Writing this spring.

An editor for Writer’s Digest Books as well as a best-selling humor book author, Sambuchino edits the Writer’s Digest Guide to Literary Agents as well as the Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market. His Guide to Literary Agents Blog is one of the biggest blogs in publishing. He also blogs for WriterUnboxed.com.

His humor book, How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack (gnomeattack.com), was released in September 2010 and has been featured by Reader’s Digest, USA Today, the New York Times and AOL News. Sony and director Robert Zemeckis recently optioned the film rights.

His second humor book (Running Press, August 2012) is Red Dog/Blue Dog: When Pooches Get Political, a humorous collection of dog photos featuring canines doing stereotypical liberal and conservative things, from composting and discussing organic Milk-Bones to protesting higher taxes and government regulations.

“The author of the No. 1 book on creating a platform as a writer, Chuck Sambuchino is a leading expert and influencer in publishing — I know he’ll present an invigorating conference full of cutting-edge information,” Vanderslice said.

Sambuchino will also have his books available for sale at the conference. In addition, door prizes will be available.

For more information and to register online, check out the conference website at http://slewis17.wix.com/sambuchino or contact Vanderslice at (501) 450-3340 or stephv@uca.edu.

The UCA College of Fine Arts and Communication includes the Departments of Art, Communication, Mass Communication and Theatre, Music and Writing. The college’s primary mission is the preparation of the next generation of artists, educators and communicators. For more information about CFAC, visit www.uca.edu/cfac or call (501) 450-3293.